Mass Effect 3: Thank You, Shepard
by Tear of Light
Summary: She knew the risks. She knew the cost. She knew what would happen if she failed. Yet even after the universe tried to kill her for the umpteenth time, she still charged forward like she always did. And Liara followed her without hesitation. Post ME3.


**Mass Effect 3: Thank**** You,**** Shepard**

_**A/N**__:__ Like __many__ fans,__ I__ was __not__ particularly __happy __about__ how__ things __ended __in__ Mass __Effect__ 3__.__ So I've decided to write a fanfiction encompassing the end, something which provides closure and makes more sense. _

_For__ those__ of__ you __wondering, __this__ is __a __story __about__ my __complete__ Paragon __FemShep__ whose __love __interest __is __Liara __(and__ has__ been__ for__ all __the __games).__ My__ Shepard__ was __a__ colonist,__ war__ hero__ and__ soldier.__ Appearance-wise__,__ my __Shepard __has __dark__ brown__ hair __(which __looks__ almost __black)__ and __hazel __coloured__ eyes. __And__ on__ my__ first__ play__ through,__ I__ chose__ the__ Synthesis __ending._

__On a random note, FFnet is being glitchy and deleting the spaces between words for some lines. I've fixed that now, but who knows if it will actually stay that way. =\__

_**Warning:**__ This __contains __spoilers __for__ Mass__ Effect__ 3__ and the __Synthesis __Ending.__ You __have__ been __warned!_

_**Disclaimer**__: __The__ characters __and __the __worlds __I __write__ in__ do__ not__ belong __to__ me.__ The__ stories__ that __I__ write __are __intended__ for __entertainment __purposes. __I__ do__ not__ make__ any __money__ from__ them._

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><p><strong><span>Summary:<span>** She knew the risks. She knew the cost. She knew what would happen if she failed. Yet even after the universe tried to kill her for the umpteenth time, she still charged forward like she always did. And Liara followed her without hesitation, without complaint. Shepard was their leader. She was a survivor. And she was the best damn thing the universe had in defeating this Reaper threat. The Commander would survive, no matter what. She had to. If not for her own sake, she had to, for Liara's...

* * *

><p>Liara groaned, consciousness slowly returning to the asari in waves of pain, muffled sounds and the feeling of cold. As her eyelids fluttered but did not open, the strong scent of burnt metal mixed with other things overwhelmed her. Liara coughed, the repulsion of the thick, putrid smell making her choke. While her battered body shuddered, Liara herself gasping for air, it was then the blue skinned alien realized she was pinned underneath something. Whatever it was wasn't heavy enough to crush her completely, yet at the same time, it was heavy enough to keep her from moving much at the moment, due to her weakened state.<p>

Flexing her fingers and toes, Liara was relieved to know all of her digits were accounted for. Same for her limbs. Though, judging from the sharp, blinding pain she felt when she bent her left knee, it seemed something in her left leg could possibly be broken. That and she most definitely had a dislocated left shoulder. Thankfully, her head was a bit clearer now than it had been upon waking, allowing the asari scientist to examine her current condition better.

Ignoring her pounding head, the first thing Liara noticed when her eyes finally focused was the smoking remains of a Mako just a few feet to her right. She vaguely remembered seeing a few of them as they all did a kamikaze charge through the broken streets of London for the Conduit. Leading the charge was Admiral Anderson, with Commander Shepard following right behind him in second. Liara herself had been just a few feet behind the soldier, all the while Harbinger's red laser of doom rained death upon their heads. Speaking of which, judging by the lack of buzzing which accompanied the Reaper's destructive beam, Liara could only assume Harbinger had moved on to another part of the near dead city to annihilate whatever it came across there. She could no longer hear the Reaper's creepy mechanized cry.

The sounds of battle continued its ghostly echo in the distance, the flashes of explosions occasionally flickering in the horizon. In the immediate area surrounding the Conduit however, it was deathly silent. There wasn't even comm chatter, at least none that Liara could hear. Either she had gone deaf (which was unlikely, though possible), or her comm was fried. Liara leaned towards the latter. The asari didn't know what to make of her current situation, only that she was probably one of the few survivors from Harbinger's fatal blast. That thought alone made it hard to swallow, Liara blinking back tears and blood, the blue liquid leaking into her right eye from the gash above her eyebrow.

Feeling a bit stronger, now that she had some time to recover, Liara decided it was time to get up and have a look around. While she really had no urge to know what the rest of the area looked like, she moved to get up anyhow. She had to know if Shepard made it. If anyone made it. If no one did, it would be up to her.

Pushing up slowly to get to her hands and knees, whatever was on Liara 's back shifted, part of the thing sliding into her line of vision on her right. Biting her lip, the asari did her best to ignore all the pain and strain which came with movement, slowly turning her head to the side. Liara's gaze locked onto the thing which held her down, a gasp escaping her parched lips. Her resolve to get up suddenly wavered. That _thing_ was the partially melted armored arm of an alliance shoulder.

"Goddess!"

A bar of red ran parallel down the soldier's armor in line with their arm, this particular armor sporting the alliance's N7 program colours. Liara knew of only one soldier who wore that armor amongst their charge.

"Shepard!"

Pain was forgotten. Hesitation was forgotten. Now, there was only fear. Fear and horror. With a fresh burst of adrenaline travelling through her veins, Liara managed a complete turnaround, ending up in sitting position with the limp body of Commander Shepard cradled in her battered arms. Liara didn't even notice the state of her own armor, parts of it scorched and torn, parts of her skin blistered and bleeding.

Shepard's helmet was completely gone, all of the armor from the woman's left shoulder down also missing. The soldier's right gauntlet had been completely burned away as well, deep, bloody scratches covering her face. Blood trickled from the Commander's nose. Liara almost lost it right there, tears already rolling down her cheeks as she fought to hold back a sob.

"Shepard!" she called again, gently shaking her bondmate. With frazzled nerves, she waited for a sign, any sign that would indicate the woman she held was still alive. To her relief, Liara was barely able to hear the soft, rasping breaths of the soldier. But the fragility of them left her on edge, the asari wondering just when exactly they would cease comp-

Liara shook her head. No, she shouldn't be thinking like that. Shepard was strong. Shepard was a survivor. Time and time again, the soldier defied the odds, she defied death, proving exactly why she was humanity's and the galaxy's best hope in destroying this Reaper threat once and for all. The slaver raid on Mindoir, the batarian attack on Elysium, and every single time she faced the Reapers - may it be through Saren, the Collectors, or otherwise - Shepard lived through them all. Shepard was a freaking legend for crying out loud! Yet... Liara swallowed thickly. Yet here Commander Shepard was, hanging onto life by a thread.

"_Do__ you __feel __ready, __Shepard?__" __Liara__ ran a finger over __the __N7 __helmet__ in __her__ hand, __tracing __invisible__ patterns__ on __the__ casing.__ She __stared __at__ the__ reflection__ in__ the__ helmet's __visor__ before __looking __up __at__ the__ one__ in __question._

_Commander__ Shepard__ was __silent __for__ a__ moment, __sitting__ at__ the__ edge __of__ her__ bed, __looking __down __at__ the __floor.__ Then__ her __eyes __met__Liara__'s__, __and__ she __smirked __slightly.__ "__You __first.__"_

_Liara__ chuckled.__ "__Huh. __Very __fair.__" __The__ asari__ scientist gazed __at__ the__ helmet__ in__ her__ hands__ again, __memories __of__ a__ burning __Thessia__ flashing__ to the forefront of __her__ mind.__ "__What__ I __want__ most...__" __she __began.__ "__...__ is__ for__ this __war __to__ end.__ While__ there's__ still__ a __galaxy __left__ to__ save.__" _

_Blue__ eyes __rose __from __the__ helmet__ once__ more,__ expecting to meet the hazel gaze of a certain brunette, but they did not. __Shepard __was __staring__ at__ the__ floor __again.__ "__And__ everyone__ is__ counting__ on __you __to__ do__ that__ for__ us.__" _

_No response._

_Liara__ frowned. She __knew __that__ look.__ She knew that face. __Shepard__ only __went __silent__ like__ that__ when __she__ was__ thinking__ of__ the__ past,__ more__ specifically __of __those__ she__ had __lost.__ "__It __must__ be__ overwhelming.__"_

_Commander__ Shepard__ made __a __fist,__ her __knuckles__ white. __Uncertain__ brown__ eyes__ looked at __Liara.__ "How __do __you__ get __ready __for __something__ like__ this?__"_

"This is Liara T'Soni! Can any read me!" Liara gripped at her bondmate, the never ending stream of tears rolling down her cheeks. Fragments of memory came back to her flashes, everything from their charge down to the Conduit until up until now.

"_It __would __be __easy __for__ a__ single __ship __to __get__ lost__ up __there.__ Wouldn't__ it?__" __Liara __smiled, __relishing__ in__ the __comfort__ she__ felt__ with__ Shepard __next __to __her.__ Both __of __them __stared__ up __at __the__ window in the ceiling above the bed, where __the __stars__ rushed__ by __and __a__ shimmer __of__ blue__ from Normandy's shields __washed __over__ the__ reinforced __glass,__ giving__ the__ scene__ an __ethereal__ look__._

"_Yeah,__" __Shepard__ said __wistfully.__ "__It__ would.__"_

_Liara __felt __the __hand __intertwined__ with __her__ own__ squeeze__ gently.__ "__To __find__ some__ place, __very __far __away, __where__ you__ can__ spend__ the__ rest__ of__ your__ life __in__ peace,__ and__ happiness.__"_

Their first moments on London's streets ended up being an uphill battle to take out the Reaper defense turret, giving the Hammer Teams a chance land. After that, it was off to the temporary base camp, then speeding through the rubble that was London to kill the Reaper Destroyer, before finally making a mad dash towards the Conduit in the hopes of beaming up to the Citadel to open its arms in order to receive the Crucible.

A walk in the park.

Yeah, right.

After their transportation gave out less than a hundred meters from the Conduit, as if things weren't bad enough, Harbinger decided to land nearby, overlooking the teleportation beam. In spite of that, in spite of their dwindling numbers, they still were going to run it. They had to. There was no other choice. Liara remembered clenching the butt of her pistol at that moment, in both anxiety and fear. The anxiety of what they were about to do, and the fear of losing all that she held precious in a split second. Shepard looked over her shoulder at her then, and despite having her helmet on, Liara knew she was smiling. Now reassured, she nodded back and the soldier looked forward again, waiting for the signal. Somehow, they were going to make it.

At Admiral Anderson's shout, Commander Shepard, her crew, and every remaining soldier left in Hammer Team (including Anderson himself) made a mad dash for the Conduit, vehicles, soldiers and all. Harbinger was quick to fire its laser at anything that moved. People. Makos. Them. But everyone still charged, even as comrades died and loosened debris lashed them in the face. Following Shepard's lead, Liara dodged her fair share of red beams and exploding Makos. Gunships flew overhead, doing their best to provide covering fire, but Harbinger took them down faster than Liara could blink. And just as they were within thirty feet of the Conduit, Commander Shepard pulled a 180 degree turn to tackle Liara to the ground. She had barely enough time to put up a Barrier before red completely filled her vision.

"_This__ is __it, __isn't __it?__" __Liara __stared __at __the__ wall,__ hugging __herself __in__ the__ makeshift __command__ centre. __Just__ in __front__ of__ her __lay__ a__ wounded__ soldier__ on__ a__ gurney.__ He__ was__ one__ of__ the__ ones__ who__ wouldn't__ make __it __through __the __night.__ Shepard __stood __off __to __her __left,__ slightly__ behind __her._

"_Yeah.__ This __is __it.__"_

_Liara's __gaze __lowered __to __the __floor __momentarily ,__the __asari __taking__ a__ ste p__backwards __as__ she__ contemplated her response__.__ "__I __don't__ know__ what __to __say,__" __she __said,__ swallowing__ down __the __lump__ that __had __suddenly __formed __in__ her __throat.__ She felt hesitant, for whatever reason, to face the soldier. "__All__ those __little __blue__ children __will__ be__ disappointed __I__ didn't__ have__ a speech.__" __Liara__ could __feel __tears__ welling __up__ in__ the__ corner__ of__ her__ eyes._

_Shepard smiled wistfully, the corners of her lips curving upwards. Understanding her bondmate's struggle, she reached out and put a hand on Liara's shoulder. Shepard squeezed gently."We'll make up a good story for them."_

"Garrus! Ashley! Does anyone read me!" Liara's voice was starting to go hoarse, partly due to the sheer amount of emotions running through her right now, and in part due to her desperate pleas for help.

"Commander Shepard is in need of medical attention! I repeat! Commander Shepard is in need of medical attention! Can anyone hear me!"

"_Can't sleep?"_

_Shepard took a deep breath, her back to Liara as she looked down at the floor. "We're almost there."_

"_Already?" There was a mix of sadness and fear in Liara's voice, one of which she couldn't hide, especially from Shepard. She half sat up, half remained lying down as she sought out the commander's gaze._

"_I hope everyone is ready," Shepard said in a tired, exhausted voice. The soldier made a fist on the bed __next to her, her knuckles white. _

_Liara saw this and rested her hand on top of it. "You don't need to worry about that."_

_Shepard shook her head as if disagreeing. The Commander still would not meet Liara's gaze._

"_You rallied who you could. The Reapers won't get anymore chances to divide us."_

_The brunette moved to stand but Liara held her back, squeezing the soldier's clenched fist gently. Brown eyes met her own blue. _

"_This time, the galaxy follows our lead."_

Liara sat there, helpless and weeping, Commander Shepard barely alive in her arms. After all of those years of hardening herself, all of those years of being the Shadow Broker, Liara thought she had better control over her emotions than this. She had better restraint than this. She knew the risks, she knew the costs, because of her line of work. People died so easily nowadays, especially in war, especially against the Reapers. So what made her think Commander Shepard would be any different? What made her think, when this time came (and she knew it would), that it would be any different?

They were no more than twenty feet away from the Conduit now, and with Harbinger gone, it was a clear path to the teleportation beam. But she couldn't do it. Liara couldn't do it. That would involve leaving Shepard here, the human most likely mortally wounded, just to save... what? What was there left to save after this? Thessia was gone. Earth would soon follow. And the woman she loved...

She couldn't do it.

And so Liara sat there, her back against a wrecked Mako, watching as her bondmate faded away in her arms.

The sound of a light cough, and a shudder running through her hands snapped Liara out of her despair, the asari immediately seeking out Shepard's face. The Commander's eyes were still closed, but her lips moved.

"Shepard?"

"Li... ara..." came a weak voice.

Liara hugged the soldier a bit closer to her. "I'm here, Shepard. Just hang on. I'll get help." Her tears were renewed, more of them rolling down her cheeks. Liara tried her comm again.

"This is Liara T'Soni! Is anyone out there!"

Shepard's hand twitched, blue eyes catching sight of the movement. Liara immediately forgot about the comm and intertwined her fingers with that of Shepard's.

"I'm... sorry..." the brunette said quietly. Commander Shepard went silent.

"S-Shepard?" Liara whispered in disbelief. Her gaze darted back and forth between her the soldier's fingers intertwined with hers and Shepard's face. The woman in her arms did not move.

"_How__ do__ you __get__ ready __for __something __like__ this?__"_

_Liara smiled, slowly wandering over to Shepard, step by step, from the couch. "You cajole, and threaten, and make tremendous sacrifices," she said, before sitting down next to the soldier on the bed. "Until the galaxy realizes, it has someone worth following."_

_Liara__ set __down __the__ N7__ helmet __on__ the __side __table,__ before __looking__ back __to __Shepard, __the __Commander__ now__ resting __back__ on__ her__ elbows __looking__ up __at __the __ceiling. __Hazel__ coloured __eyes __locked__ onto __the__ blue skinned alien__, __a__ moment __of__ uncertainty __flickering __through __them._

_"__You __think __so?__" __Shepard __asked__ so__ earnestly,__ it __tugged __at__ Liara's __heart._

"_There's__ no __doubt __in __my__ mind,__" Liara __told__ her__ bondmate, __also __lying __back__ in__ bed__ on__ her__ elbows._

_For__ a __few __silent__ seconds, __they__ enjoyed __each__ other's __company, __watching __the __stars __rush __by __through __the __ceiling __window. __Soon __enough,__ the __need __to__ hold__ Shepard__ overwhelmed __her__, and __Liara __reached__ out,__ flipped__ the brunette__'s__ palm upwards before __intertwining__ her __finger's __with __the__ Commander's.__ Shepard smiled at her then, the brilliant smile which always made Liara's heart flutter every time she saw it. __How __she__ never __wanted__ this__ moment__ to__ end..._

"No..."

More tears fell.

"No," Liara sobbed. Her breaths came out in choked rasps, the asari clutching Shepard's head tightly to her chest as her entire body shook. "No... Shepard!"

"_You__ mean __so__ much __to __me.__" __With__ their __foreheads __pressed __together,__ the__ space __between __their__ lips __almost __non__existent__. __Liara__ was__ so __happy._

"_I __love__ you __Liara__ T'Soni.__"_

"_I..." Liara found herself momentarily speechless. No matter how many times her bondmate said it, those three words always left her feeling faint. "I love you too."_

A neon glow embraced London, a shockwave of green washing over the entire remains of Earth. All fighting, no matter where it was, no matter who it was between, stopped for a brief moment as the green wave of energy enveloped them. So caught up in her grieving, Liara hadn't noticed any of it, not until she felt the warm touch of a hand on her shoulder. Blue eyes snapped open in surprise, Liara's eyes widening as she stared in front of her.

It was like time had stopped, or perhaps she had been suddenly teleported to another dimension. The body of Commander Shepard still lay in her arms, yet at the same time, so too the woman stood in front of her, a green sheen to her form. Liara wanted to say this apparition of her bondmate was similar to that of the Prothean VI which was uncovered on Thessia. Swirls of green energy made up the ghostly Commander Shepard, the details so exact, it was like she was staring at the soldier as if they were back on the Normandy before any of this had happened. But unlike the Prothean VI, this ghostly woman was warm and solid to the touch. And Liara knew of no VI which could do that.

Ghostly Shepard smiled, warming Liara to her very soul. The soldier reached out a hand and cupped her cheek. Naturally, Liara leaned into the touch, a smile forming on her lips. The asari didn't remember closing her eyes, but the moment she felt lips on her forehead, they shot open again in surprise. Ghostly Shepard was now kneeling in front of her, looking at Liara with such warmth and love, it almost hurt to look back. Then, ever so slowly, Ghostly Shepard reached forward and rested a hand on Liara's stomach.

Liara looked down at the warm hand, her jaw going slack. She hadn't felt it before, but now she did. Life within. Ghostly Shepard smiled again, before standing up and turning to leave.

"Shepard!" Liara called out in desperation. She vainly reached out to the fleeting green form of the Commander, hoping to grasp her hand or something else to keep her here. Ghostly Commander Shepard stopped in her tracks, understanding Liara's distress and reached back to intertwine her fingers with the Liara's. While nothing was said, everything was understood between them. And then that moment ended, and the wave of green continued its way past Liara, the green ghostly form of Commander Shepard fading into nothingness.

Now everything was different.

"_This __war __has __brought__ us __pain, __and__ suffering...__" __Shepard__ looked__ down __at __her __hands__ before__ raising__ her__ gaze__ to __her__ comrades__ in__ arms.__ "__...__and__ loss.__" _

_Liara glanced at the others with her, each and every single one of them friends, all of them having lost something or someone to the Reapers. _

"_But __it's __also __brought __us __together,__" __Commander __Shepard__ continued.__ "__As __soldiers,__ allies, __friends.__ This__ bond__ that __ties__ us__ together __is __something__ the __Reapers__ will__ never __understand. __It's __more __powerful __than __any __weapon, __stronger__ than__ any__ ship. __It __can't__ be__ taken __or__ destroyed.__"_

The sounds of fighting had stopped, as had the explosions and even the movement of the Reapers. Soldiers peered out from the rubble that was their cover, watching in awe as a something akin to a whale song sounded before the very Reapers themselves took to the sky again and retreated. It was then that Liara's comm crackled back to life, the channel she was currently listening to filling with laughter and shouts of joy.

_"__They're __leaving!__ The __Reapers __are __leaving!__" _someone exclaimed over the comm. _"__We've __won!__"_

"_The next few hours will decide the fate of everyone in the galaxy," Shepard said, continuing her slow pacing in front of them. "Every mother. Every son. Every unborn child." _

_Liara swallowed, finding herself on the receiving end of her bondmate's loving gaze. _

"_They're trusting you... depending on you to win them their future. A future free from the threat of the Reapers."_

Liara looked down at the one in her grasp, her now neon green eyes noting a smile on Shepard's face. Once again hugging her the soldier's face to her chest, she closed her eyes, the tears finally stopping.

It was finally over. All of it, was finally over. Shepard could now rest in peace.

"_But take heart," Shepard said, looking over them all. "Look around you. You're not in this fight alone. We face our enemy together, and together we will defeat them."_

Pressing their foreheads together, Liara suppressed another sob. "Thank you, Shepard," she said, softly. "For everything."

* * *

><p>Liara looked up at the sound of engines in the distance. With the Reapers now gone and the war over, recovery efforts had begun. She hadn't moved from her spot since awaking however many hours it was ago. The body of her bondmate still rested in her arms, as if asleep, Liara staring up at the clearing sky. She didn't know how long she sat here, thinking about all of the good memories of the past. She supposed that didn't matter any more. Nevertheless, it was nice to see the smoky sky finally clearing, rays of sunshine lighting up everything.<p>

A touch.

Liara startled when something touched her face, her eyes widening in shock when her gaze was met with another pair of neon green eyes.

"Hey," Shepard said weakly, her throat dry.

Liara immediately grabbed Shepard's outstretched hand, kissing the back of it. "Shepard," she said, tears fresh in her eyes again. "I thought you... that you..." Liara's voice shook uncontrollably.

Shepard smiled softly, squeezing Liara's hand gently. "I love you too, Liara."

* * *

><p><em><strong>AN:**__Yeah, __so __I__ hinted__ at __the __whole__ ending __thing__ to __be__ a __hallucination __(as __it__ is__ one__ of__ the __many__ theories __out__ there),__ but __at__ the __same __time ,__I__ didn't.__ Lol.__ While this is not my best piece of writing, __I __hope __you__ enjoyed__ the__ read __nevertheless._

_Just to clarify, the blocks of text in italics are flashbacks to conversations in game. And for those of you who are wondering, yes, Liara is pregnant with Shepard's baby. XD_

_And on one final random note, my exact thoughts when playing the game and running towards the synthesis beam was exactly what Shepard said. "Liara, I'm sorry."_

_Long __live__ Commander__ Shepard!_


End file.
